Coffee (and chocolate) are good for you: Cancer Council

COFFEE and chocolate are good for you, frozen vegies can be more nutritious than fresh and microwaves don't nuke your food.

The Cancer Council of Queensland has just busted some of the food myths that cause some people to deny themselves the pleasures of life.

Elena Elisseeva

Myth 1: Are fresh veggies more nutritious than frozen?

Frozen veggies are usually picked in their prime and snap-frozen very soon after harvesting, which means they are chock-a-broccoli full of nutrients, while fruit and vegetables destined to be shipped to fresh-produce aisles, can be degraded of some nutrients due to long travel time.

Myth 2: Is chocolate good for you?

Chocolate has been found, in some studies, to reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke, as well as benefitting cardiovascular health, thanks to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that protect the inner walls of blood vessels from atherosclerosis. If you crave chocolate, try to go for dark chocolate, with 70 per cent cacao solids and less sugar, with fat derived from cocoa butter and the added benefits of iron and magnesium.

www.lg.com

Myth 3: Can your microwave give you cancer?

Microwave ovens do not make foods radioactive. Microwaves heat food by producing radiation which is absorbed by water molecules in the food - this makes the water molecules vibrate and produce heat, which cooks the food - they do not make any changes to food that aren't made in any other cooking method. In fact, microwaving is actually one of the best ways to retain all the healthy nutrients in your veggies.. Verdict: Microwaves are safe!

David Stuart

Myth 4: Is coffee bad for your health?

Systematic reviews of research judge the current evidence as mostly in favour of drinking coffee. Coffee is linked to a decreased risk of premature death, type two diabetes and some types of cancer, although more research needs to be done.